Creative optical artistic medium

ABSTRACT

A structure providing a creative medium includes a light source directing white, colored, or variegated light through a layer of sand or comparable material supported under a light-transmissive panel. The light source and panel are supported upon a framework which also acts as container for the layer of sand. The artist inscribes lines and/or areas in the material, or otherwise redistributes it in patterns which form creative displays by virtue of the way light is passed through the material from the light source therebelow.

United States Patent 9 [191 Johnston CREATIVE OPTICAL ARTISTIC MEDIUM[76] Inventor: Leland P. Johnston, 513 South Lafayette St., Macomb, 111.61455 7 [22] Filed: Apr. 19, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 134,955

[52] US. Cl. 2 40/1, 40/132 F, 240/3.l,

[51] Int. Cl. F21

[58] Field of Search 240/1 R, 2, 6.4, 10 R, I 240/107, 3.1, 9 R, 46.15,24, 2 AD, 2 D; 46/233, 239, 240, 237; 350/5; 40/132 R, 132

F, 28 C, 132 E, 132 G; 84/4 64; 272/8 P, l A;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,070,699 8/1913 Kitsee240/3.1 1,174,930 3/1916 Frey 240/46.l5 X 1,348,957 8/1920 Pope 40/132 F1,559,665 11/1925 Beery et a1.. 35/26 1,874,202 8/1932 Michelsen...240/3.1 1,880,026 9/1932 Singerman 240/3.l 2,447,623 8/1948 Zemelman350/5 2,567,561 9/1951 Hoffmann 240/1 R [11] 3,835,307 [451 Sept.10,1974

2,589,601 Burnett 46/239 X 2,848,229 8/1958 Miller 272/1 A 3,106,04210/1963 Roethler 46/240 3,160,975 12/1964 Malina 40/132 G 3,388,2436/1968 Adler 240/1 R X 3,666,936 5/1972 Webster, Jr. et a1 240/2 RFOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 531,441 9/1954 Belgium 240/2 D 355,4306/1922 Germany 240/2 D Primary Examiner-Louis J. Capozi Attorney, Agent,or Firm.Louis Altman [5 7] ABSTRACT A structure providing a creativemedium includes a light source directing white, colored, or variegatedlight through a layer of sand or comparable material supported under alight-transmissive panel. The light source and panel are supported upona framework which also acts as container for the layer of sand. Theartist inscribes lines and/or areas in the material, or otherwiseredistributes it in patterns which form creative displays by virtue ofthe way light is passed through the material from the light sourcetherebelow.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED 3E? 74 SHEET 2 0F 3 FIG. 5

. l CREATIVE OPTICAL ARTISTIC MEDIUM FIELD OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to a creative artistic medium for adults, or acreative toy for children. It combines some features of a childssandbox, a sand sculpture, and an illuminated sketching device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The forerunners of the present invention arethe well known childs sandbox and other devices designed for creatingpatterns in sand for artistic or recreational purposes. Mention may alsobe made of Rocthler US. Pat. No. 3,106,042 which describes a childs toycomprising a box containing a thin layer of sand which the childmanipulates to simulate earth-moving operations. The manipulation isaccomplished using small ferromagnetic toys that simulate earth-movingmachinery, and the toys in turn are moved by a magnetic actuator whichis operable by the child from outside the box. In addition the toycomprises a transparent cover which permits the child to play withoutremoving the cover. This aids in retaining the sand within the toyenclosure. Such prior art toys, however, lack the concept of employingthe sand as a flexible lightftransmissive mask for shaping an opticalmedium.

There are some prior art patents showing devices which employ light invarious creative or educational ways, and are particularly adapted foruse by children. Two of these are shown in US. Pat. Nos. 3,321,616 and3,388,243 of Adler, and another is shown in US. Pat. No. 1,559,665 ofBeery. These patents are all concerned with creating two-dimensionalforms upon a fixed flat surface which transmits light. But they lack theconcept of using a readily reshapable layer of material as alight-structuring medium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view, withparts broken away to reveal details of interior construction, of a firstembodiment of a creative optical medium in accordance with thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the device in'FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view, shaded to suggest color differences, of asand-supporting translucent panel in the device of the precedingfigures.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, with parts broken away to reveal detailsof interior construction, of an alternative embodiment of a creativeoptical medium in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the device seen in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view, with parts broken away to reveal detailsof interior construction, of another alternative embodiment of acreative optical medium in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the device seen in FIG. 6.

The same reference characters refer to the same elements throughout theseveral views of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Three differentembodiments of the invention will be described below, each having itsown distinctive advantages. What they all have in common is that one orLII more lamps are employed to shine light toward a thin layer of sandor comparable masking material. The three embodiments describedrepresent specific examples of various means by which the maskingmaterial may be conveniently retained in place relative to the lightsource. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, for example, a layer of sand10 is distributed over a flat horizontal translucent sheet of glass orplastic material 12 which in turn is supported within a suitable channelformed on a rectangular framework 14. The upper portion of the frame 14forms a rectangular containing wall 16 which helps prevent the escape ofthe sand 10. It is aided in this by a downwardly'sloping flange 18formed around the upper edges of the containing walls 16, which servestwo purposes. First, the flanges 18 tend to prevent sand from beingthrown upward and out of the container 16. Secondly, sand which iscarried out of the container but falls back upon the flanges 18 thentends to slide back into the sand layer 10.

A plurality of lamps 20, such as conventional fluorescent devices, aresupported upon a horizontal panel 22 received within appropriate socketsat, the lowerportion of the frame 14. A conventional electrical cord 24(FIG. 1) provides power to operate the lamps 20, and a conventionalon-off switch 26 is mounted on the exterior of the frame 14 to turn thelamps on and off as desired. The lamp-supporting platform 22 ispreferably provided with ventilating openings 28 for dissipating theheat generated by the lamps 20 during operation.

In using the invention, the child or adult user reaches into the devicemanually to inscribe lines (cg. line 29) or areas or other patterns inthe sand 10 which permit the light of the lamps below to come through ina desired artistic pattern. Thus, if the sand is brushed away from largeareas of the underlying translucent panel, then large areas of light arevisible from above. If only outlines are traced in the sand, then thoseoutlines are visible as lines of transmitted illumination. The user canalso feather the edges of the various sand areas from an opaquethickness of sand in one region to another region from which the sand iscompletely removed, with various gradations of translucence in between.The calculated effects which can be produced with the device of thisinvention depend only upon the imagination of the person using it, andthat is its principal advantage. It therefore provides a novel medium inwhich the user can express himself in his own way.

The material 10 need not be sand. It could instead be any other materialwhich is fluent in the sense that it is yieldable and thus redistributedeasily, yet retains its new distribution either until disturbed again,or at least for a substantial period of time before flowing. Suchmaterials either do not flow spontaneously, or at least are so viscousthat they flow only over relatively long periods of time compared toordinary fluids, i.e. gases and liquids. Most granular materials andviscous creams are fluent in this sense. Here again, the imagination ofthe user is called upon to supply the most suitable material. One caneasily imagine that an aerosol shave cream, or a layer of talcum powder,might make suitable media for certain types of creations.

The panel 12 which supports the fluent material 10 could be transparentinstead of translucent, but that alternative is less preferable. Atranslucent panel obscures the details of construction below the panel12,

and also causes a certain artistic blurring or merging of the lines orother patterns traced in the material 10.

If desired, a color effect can be achieved, for example by adheringcolor filter sheets to the underside of the translucent panel 12, eventhough ordinary white lamps 20 are employed for illumination. Thiscreates different colored fields of lightacross the translucent panel,and

permits the additional option that a particular pattern drawn in thefluent material may extend across two or more different colorfields,changing color as a function of its position across the face ofthe device.

As a preferable alternative, the color effect may be achieved by usinglamps of different colors. When used in conjunction with a translucentpanel 12,'the color fields then tend to merge imperceptibly into oneanother. Thus, the field seen from above the device might have theappearance indicated in FIG. 7. At one side there might be a pure redarea 300, in the middle a pure blue'area 302 and at the opposite extremea pure green area 304. In addition intermediate color-blended areaswould be formed, such as area 306 in which the red merges into the blue,and area 308 in which the blue merges into the green.

Notwithstanding the containing effect of the upstanding walls 16 and theinwardly sloping flanges 18 thereof, the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2presents some danger that some of the sand or other material 10 mayescape, particularly if children are using the device. The embodiment ofFIGS. 4 and 5 and the additional' alternative embodiment of FIGS. 6 and7 are both designed to overcome this problem.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 there is a thin layer of sand 110supported upon a translucent panel 112 mounted on a frame 114. Lamps 120are mounted upon a panel 122 having ventilation openings 128 andsupported upon the frame 114 below the sand panel 112. Once again thereis a power cord 124 and an onoff switch 126.

In this embodiment, however, there is an enclosure which completelyconfines the sand in layer 110. The enclosure is formed by theupstanding containing walls 116 of frame 114 plus a transparent glass orplastic cover 130 mounted upon the containing walls 116. The transparentcover 130 permits the user to see the layer 110 and the light passingupwardly therethrough, while at the same time fully enclosing thematerial 110 and preventing its escape.

Since the material 110 is fully enclosed, a line 129 or other patternsin the layer 110 are formed by means of a rod 132 which extends throughan opening 134 formed in one of the containing walls 116. A flexiblerubber boot 136 crimped to the edges of the opening 134 seals it againstthe escape of material 110 through the opening, while still permittingmovement of the rod 132.

The third alternative embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 is similarly designed.Once more there is a power cord 224 and on-off switch 226. There is alsoa frame 214, on which is supported a panel 222 having ventilation holes228 and a plurality of lamps 220. It also supports a translucent panel212 onwhich, however, is placed a thin layer of granular iron particlesor other magnetically responsive fluent material 210. A transparentglass or plastic cover 230 is also usedin this embodiment for fullenclosure, but is placed quite close to the magnetically responsivematerial 210, because the effective range of magnetic forces is small.The redistribution of the fluent material 210 in this embodimentis donewith a magnetic implement such as a permanent magnet 232 giving off amagnetic flux 234 which passes through the transparent cover 230, andaffects the magnetic responsive material 210 immediately therebelow, forexample to inscribe line 229. Thus the fluent material 210 is completelyenclosed, but is visible, and is redistributable from outside theenclosure by a device having effect inside it. v

It will now be appreciated that this invention provides a creativemedium which allows a great latitude of individual expression, and inwhich a child at play or a serious artist can make an infinite varietyof lightfilled patterns, and these can have various color gradations ifdesired. I

Since the foregoing description andv drawings are merely illustrative,the scope of protection of the invention has been more broadly stated inthe following claims; and these should be liberally interpreted so as toobtain the benefit of all equivalents to which the invention is fairlyentitled.

I claim:

1. A creative medium comprising:

an upwardly opening container;

the bottom of said container including a lighttransmissive panel; alayer of fluent material in place over said bottom panel; saidcontainerincluding a containing wall upstanding from the periphery of said bottompanel;

and means on said device including an artificial light source below saidbottom panel for illuminating the lower surface thereof;

whereby the pattern of artificial illumination visible through saidbottom panel is a function of the distribution of said fluent materialthereover.

2. A creative medium comprising: a lighttransmissive panel; a frame forsupporting said panel in a generally horizontal attitude; a light sourcesupported on said frame below said -panel=and arranged to shine lightupwardly through said panel; a fluent material layer in place over saidpanel; containing means on said frame rising above said panel andbounding an area of said panel, said containing means including atranspar ent cover over said panel and substantially enclosing saidfluent material to prevent spillage; and remote control means operablefrom outside said containing means and effective to redistribute saidfluent material therein, said remote control means comprising an openingin said containing means, a rod extending through said opening, andflexible means surrounding said rod to seal said opening whilepermitting articulation of said rod.

3. A creative medium comprising: a lighttransmissive panel; a frame forsupporting said panel in a generally horizontal attitude; a light sourcesupported on said frame below said panel and arranged to shine lightupwardly through said panel; a layer of magnetically responsive fluentmaterial in place over said panel;containing means on said frame risingabove said panel and bounding an area of said panel, said containingmeans including a magnetic-flux-transmissive transparent cover over saidpanel and substantially enclosing said fluent material topreventspillage; and remote control means operable from outside said containingmeans, said remote control means comprising a magnetically effectiveimplement located entirely outside said containing means and operablethrough said cover to redistribute said fluent material. l=

1. A creative medium comprising: an upwardly opening container; thebottom of said container including a light-transmissive panel; a layerof fluent material in place over said bottom panel; said containerincluding a containing wall upstanding from the periphery of said bottompanel; and means on said device including an artificial light sourcebelow said bottom panel for illuminating the lower surface thereof;whereby the pattern of artificial illumination visible through saidbottom panel is a function of the distribution of said fluent materialthereover.
 2. A creative medium comprising: a light-transmissive panel;a frame for supporting said panel in a generally horizontal attitude; alight source supported on said frame below said panel and arranged toshine light upwardly through said panel; a fluent material layer inplace over said panel; containing means on said frame rising above saidpanel and bounding an area of said panel, said containing meansincluding a transparent cover over said panel and substantiallyenclosing said fluent material to prevent spillage; and remote controlmeans operable from outside said containing means and effective toredistribute said fluent material therein, said remote control meanscomprising an opening in said containing means, a rod extending throughsaid opening, and flexible means surrounding said rod to seal saidopening while permitting articulation of said rod.
 3. A creative mediumcomprising: a light-transmissive panel; a frame for supporting saidpanel in a generally horizontal attitude; a light source supported onsaid frame below said panel and arranged to shine light upwardly throughsaid panel; a layer of magnetically responsive fluent material in placeover said panel; containing means on said frame rising above said paneland bounding an area of said panel, said containing means including amagnetic-flux-transmissive transparent cover over said panel andsubstantially enclosing said fluent material to prevent spillage; andremote control means operable from outside said containing means, saidremote control means comprising a magnetically effective implementlocated entirely outside said containing means and operable through saidcover to redistribute said fluent material.